Data visualization techniques enable users of data to scan and quickly comprehend large quantities of information. Such techniques may also aid in alerting users to anomalies and other data of interest. Visualization tools can include charts, graphs, and reports that collect, summarize, and/or otherwise transform data into meaningful shapes, colors, and patterns. Closer to the source, data visualization has also included the use of conditional formatting in spreadsheets, which frequently serve as receptacles of raw data.
Conditional formatting has enabled users to modify the look of data in place, changing the appearance of individual spreadsheet or table cells based on the content of the cell (or some other determining condition). FIG. 1 depicts a prior art range of cells 101 in a spreadsheet, the cells of which have been conditionally formatted. Here, cell A1 provides an example of the default or unformatted version of a cell. Cell A2 provides an example of a first conditionally formatted cell, and cell A4 provides an example of a second conditionally formatted cell. Cells A2 and A4 have automatically received new formatting based on a condition associated with the cells.
FIG. 2 depicts a prior art dialog 201 where formats conditioned upon values being within certain ranges have been selected. The two conditions supplied here (and applied to the range of cells 101) format cells in a particular fashion when the value contained within each cell is evaluated as being between a certain range (10 and 20 for condition 1, 15 and 30 for condition 2). The conditions utilized in conditional formats are limited to two possible Boolean outputs, TRUE or FALSE. If the condition supplied evaluates to TRUE, then the format is applied. If the condition supplied evaluates to FALSE, then the format is not applied.
Dialog 201 demonstrates that, while useful, conditional formatting can be limiting as to certain available formats (e.g., font, cell color, borders). Furthermore, a given range of cells is provided a maximum number of conditional formats that can be applied, certainly no more than three conditions, each providing no more than one possible format when evaluating to TRUE. Additionally, the threshold values used for evaluation are fixed. These limitations prevent conditionally formatted cells from fully realizing their potential as analysis and reporting tools.